Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Dale Junior's Press Conference In-Progress Comments

Wednesday at 1:30PM Eastern Daylight Time, both SPEED and the ESPN News Network will carry live the Dale Earnhardt Junior press conference from Dallas, TX.

Junior is expected to announce his new sponsorship package for 2008, as well as which number his car will carry when he moves to Hendrick Racing next season.

While SPEED has been covering NASCAR-related events live for several years, this is ESPN's first season of dealing with such issues.

The ESPN News Network will devote its time to live coverage of the entire series of announcements, and will stop their normal thirty minute "wheel" of sports news.

Over at SPEED, Steve Byrnes will host that network's coverage from the SPEED Studios in Charlotte, NC.

Please feel free to post your TV-related comments about this live coverage on this page, bearing in mind that comments not addressing the TV issues will be deleted.

It should be interesting for many people not into the NASCAR scene that a press conference about a sponsor and a number will be carried live on two national cable TV networks. There is no word on how long the press conference itself should take.type="text/javascript">

To leave a comment, simply click on the COMMENTS button below, there is no membership and you do not have to leave your email address. The rules for comments are on the right side of the main page. Thanks again for stopping-by The Daly Planet.

Unfortunately I see this as the beginning of a slowdown in NASCAR. I do hope Junior is happy with this move but this represents the loss of one of the major popularity surges in sports history. NASCAR had lightning in a bottle with Dale JR driving for his fathers team, after his fathers death on the track, and in the red Budweiser car. Dale Jr has been the most popular driver in NASCAR for six years now. Not by a little but by nearly double the fans of next in line. Ask anyone that has watched the backstretch at 'Dega empty after JR has crashed out of the race.

I believe that Jr's slump over the last couple of years has directly led to the TV ratings drop we are seeing as well as the resurrection of empty seats at races. I sincerely hope that NASCAR stays healthy over the next few years with increased costs of putting a car in the filed and the increasing difficulty of finding sponsorship. I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Dale Jr has killed the golden goose by leaving DEI and switching sponsors.

My NASCAR viewership hasn't declined because Junior isn't winning. My NASCAR viewership has declined because Junior isn't winning, AND ESPN STILL ACTS LIKE HE'S THE ONLY EFFING GUY ON THE TRACK.

If ESPN would stop sucking up to Junior Nation and spread its coverage around a little more to drivers who actually deserve the attention, I'd watch again. And live coverage of Junior's press conference only reaffirms my deepest fears.

I haven't been paying attention, but did ESPN go live to the Kyle Busch press conference, or the Gibbs/Toyota press conference? I'm suspecting not, but Junior speaks and the world stops.

Wow...I do not believe because Jr felt he had to move on and be his own person, after years of behind the scenes struggles, is the blame for the downfall of NASCAR. I like and support Jr and he needs to make the changes to live his life.

He cannot HELP he is so popular with fans but if they give up and stop watching, they were simply casual fans anyway.

Much like apparently Tiger Woods has made the ratings in golf go up. Really? I have watched golf tournaments on tv since I was a child coming from a family of golfers.

But to lay all the blame on Jr is a bit harsh. This guy gets much more attention than he ever wanted? You can see it in recent interviews where the mic is SHOVED in his face as soon as he gets out of the car.

He cannot help it his dad was a legend.

He cannot help his father is dead.

He cannot help it if fans of his dad latched on to him and expect MORE out of the boy.

From what I have read over the last 4 years or so, the reasons for NASCARS slump and fan displeasure is much deeper and complicated than Jr switching teams?

Ticket prices, tracks making more rules,moving races, campground prices skyrocketing, the "Hollywoodization" of the sport from Brian..too many cautions, too many commercials, THE CHASE (OVER Hype)...and now such HORRIBLE ESPN coverage a handful of writers are writing about it on their columns. These are just a few reasons off the top of my head.

Years ago from what I have read, races started around noon and were over by dinner. Now with all the pre race and LONG races (should shorten some of the 500 mile races) Watching NASCAR is an endurance contest.

AND with folks wanting to tape or DVR the race, no easy feat with ESPN channel hopping THREE times during one race.

Sorry, Jr has nothing to do with that. And I personally feel it unfair to blame this young man for the "downfall" of NASCAR.

NASCAR has nobody to blame but themselves. And they can thank ESPN for the continuing disenchantment of ALL the fans.

Junior is partly the problem, but ESPN is the problem. Just like ESPN is the problem with sports as a whole.

I compare Junior to Alex Rodriguez. When A-Rod is winning and hitting home run after home run, ESPN shoves it down our throat. He's the greatest ever, he's gonna break the home run record, he's the Tiger Woods of baseball.

And then, 24 hours later, he makes a throwing error, he strikes out with the bases loaded, he's caught with a stripper, his wife wears a shirt to the stadium with an f-bomb on it. And then all of the sudden, ESPN says he's the most overrated player of all time, "he's not a real Yankee," he hasn't "earned his Pinstripes," he's not worth his ridiculous salary, and so on.

But either way, A-Rod is the story. And so is Junior.

ESPN is nothing but a bunch of sycophants who talk out of both sides of their mouth, just to get a rise out of its audience. It's time to see them for what they are and call them out on it.

I wish that ESPN would just realize that we would still watch their programs, even if they didn't make it all about the "celebrity athletes" and the big-name teams.

ESPN is nothing but a bunch of sycophants who talk out of both sides of their mouth, just to get a rise out of its audience.

This is pretty typical of sports "reporters," especially those on TV. They got into the job becuae they were fans, not journalists.

So it's no surprise that they act like fans first...or that they are afraid to ask the hard questions of their heroes. Standard response: We can't make them angry--we need them later. Yeah, that's journalism.

I'm not against any of what is going on. I'm stating what I believe to be the truth. I don't think that Junior should have stayed where he was or that the actions of his stepmother should have been condoned.

Can anyone tell me that the combination of Junior at DEI, driving the red eight, sponsored by Budweiser is as compelling as Junior at Hendrick motorsports, wearing a pressed polo shirt, Driving Dale JARRET'S number, in a Mountain Dew car? Are the fans gonna get jacked up on Mountain Dew now? I just don't see this combination drawing new fans or keeping some of the casual Younior! fans. Understand?

This is why most press conferences are not shown live. They are for the press, not people at home--and every time someone runs one live, somebody someplace complains that it's dull...or they ask dumb questions...or whatever.

Oh, no, look at that hair. Did they make him go to Jeff Gordon's barber--er, stylist? I hope to God that they don't turn Jr. into some clean-cut Hendrick clone. That is my only fear about his changing teams.

I know this is kinda off topic but did anyone see the Kasy Kahne Budweiser annoucement yesterday? I had never seen a man hold a beer bottle that way before. Definitely not familiar with proper technique. Maybe Ray Evernham should have gotten Kasey a sponsorship from Zima or something more fitting like that.

Well Sirius really dropped the ball on the press conference. Can't schedule breaks even though they've promoted the coverage since it was announced. Then some smug management type comes on and says they have to pay the bills. Jackasses like him are what's wrong with the media.

I MISSED seeing Kasey with the beer bottle but he did not look that comfortable just RIDING on the Bud wagon imo.

Also, I like sweet kasey but he HONESTLY looks like he needs to show an I.D. to drink Budweiser?!:)

Oh, the last couple of Jr press conferences I DID watch in entirety...today I was distracted with a new comforter and drapes that were delivered at the same time...I also MISSED IT if they viewed the new car?? I just saw some quick clips of the paint scheme. THAT will take me some getting used to..

Also, I did NOT watch the Kyle Busch interview except for 5 minutes.

Also I did not watch the RGR going to Toyota racing...so Jr is NOT the only one who gets LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE for the Jr haters out there.

I really felt sad when jr said the last lap of Homestead is going to be very emotional on him as to what it represents.....I can already see the ESPN VULTURES circling his car no matter how he finishes that day. They will want to EXPLOIT his emotions to the max.

I realize sports does that in many areas but I still find it sickening and they ALL get to the drivers too quickly or even BEFORE they get out of the cars anymoe....let the guys catch their breath, collect their thoughts or emotions. I don't care who the driver is...Like the death of common sense, I do believe civility has died as well.

Message to anonymous 10:02 - Jayski DID list SPEED's planned coverage. I read about the news conference yesterday on his site. If ESPN was totally in control at Jayski, I do not think there would be a link to Daly Planet every day.

RE: the press conference. Speed hung in there for around 50 minutes, ESPN left after 10 or 15 minutes. In ESPN's defense, they reported the germane facts about the number and sponsors. SPEED gave fans more background by covering the Q&A session. I think that both networks fulfilled their respective missions.

It's an ugly car too,Has anyone noticed that? It'll be HARD to pick out of a group on the track! I'm personally liking Harvick's new yellow car there is only one car I can mix it up with. This car is different colors from the front, back and side. Not very fan friendly. Fortunately it will be smack in the middle of the TV screen nearly all the time.

The OJ story is only newsworthy because it reaffirms a lot of people's opinions of him (he did it). Frankly, I've moved on, I think he's pathetic, and I would be happier if I never heard from him again. The rest of you need to get over it and ignore him.

As for Junior, it is no more newsworthy than other NASCAR-related events (Kahne and Bud, Gibbs and Busch, Gibbs and Toyota), and those were not covered live, or even halfway considered for live coverage.

If Peyton Manning was forced to change his uniform number, would it be that newsworthy? I have a Peyton Manning "18" jersey and lots of Manning memorabilia, and I don't care. And I wouldn't be happy if ESPN interrupted regular programming to tell me about it.